Astrology Reading Cards Your Personal Guidance from the Stars by ALISON CHESTER-LAMBERT (astrologer) and RICHARD CROOKES (illustrator)
How to Read the Cards The deck is comprised of 36 cards, divided into three sets of 12 cards each. The sets are called the Planet cards, the Zodiac Sign cards and the House cards. Ways in which you can read the ARC (Astrology Reading Cards) Lay the three sets out face down in front of you in three separate fans. Think of a question you would like the ARC to help you with. With your question in mind draw one card from each of the fans. This means that you will draw a Planet card from one of the fans, a Zo- diac Sign card from another fan, and a House card from the third fan. It does not matter which order you select the cards in, just so long as you select one card from each of the three fans. Each card features a sentence and images to aid interpretation. Put together, these cards answer your question. For a deeper explanation of the cards you have drawn, read the relevant Zodiac sign, Planet and House pages of this book. You can ask another question by replacing the cards into their respective fan, shuffling them, and repeating the procedure. Alternatively, you could simply shuffle ALL the cards together and then draw just ONE card to inspire at that moment. Initially, the cards may just describe your immediate circumstances as you and the cards get to know each other and form your relationship. Once you ve handled them for a while, they will become more flexible or obliging. They will learn from you, as you will learn from them. The astrological energies are not used to being used like this, but they are powerful and will quickly adapt. Once you and the cards are working in harmony, they will come alive and their magic will astound. An explanation of what the different sets represent Planet Cards: They represent the part of your personality engaged in the question or issue, the part of you that is activated or affected. Zodiac Cards: The Zodiac Sign cards represent the universal energy that colours the question or issue, the 4 5
House Cards: influence around you, or the general feeling around the matter. These cards represent the area of your life affected by the question or issue, the sphere of your life the matter is playing out in. How Do the Astrology Reading Cards Work? So now that you know how to use the cards, you can just go ahead and use them. However, you may find it useful to read the more detailed explanations in this book and get a greater understanding of the full potential of the Astrology Reading Cards. How do these cards affect your Sun sign? For instance, if you are a Libran and draw the Gemini card? Isn t that wrong? No, it isn t wrong. Even though you were born when the Sun was in Libra which means that Libra will remain your Star Sign until you die, you come under different influences at different times of the day, month or year. Those influences will still be one of the 12 Zodiac signs. So if you are a Libran and you pull the Gemini card, it just means that at that particular time you are receiving a Gemini influence. Understanding that will help you make the most of the Gemini talents available at that time. The magic of your unconscious connection to the universal astral realms will lift intuitive feeling and thoughts from deep within your mind, allowing you to instinctively choose the cards that can best deliver the message from the divine Cosmos. Because your unconscious select the cards, it will choose the ones that most resonate with the current energies and knowledge (gnosis) in your astral presence. All around the Earth, there are planets affecting us in different ways. Whilst you are in our solar system, you cannot escape this influence. These cards allow you to experience a visual interpretation of your soul s knowledge of this. Each of us is immersed in an invisible sea of electricity and magnetic field lines. Flows of energy and intelligence pass down these lines, washing over/through/around us. This is the Cosmos and our spirit, soul, or unconscious dialogues with it constantly. On the other side is all future and all past, everything melted into oneness, but the future can be foretold, if it is asked for. The energies the cards describe are archetypal, which means they are present in all life in the Universe. The cards are symbols of these archetypes, and they will be constellated to appear in your reading due to universal synchronicity. Everything in the Cosmos is connected in a giant invisible web, and what happens in one part of the web can be felt in another part. The Etruscans used egg yolks to divine the future. They would examine the condition of the stringy white bit and the blemishes on the yolk and surmise things from 6 7
that. The Egyptians used the liver of an animal, and the condition of different parts of it would tell them about the future. Present in all things is the connection with the universal energy and the potential of the future. The cards will show what your unconscious and the mysterious Hand of Destiny deem important. By providing them with a choice of all the archetypal, universal energies used in astrology, the most important energies at the moment you drew the card will emerge. How come the future isn t always what we decide it s going to be? Why do we need cards to help us? The unconscious side of us has a different schedule to the conscious side. It wants to get a certain experience by constellating into our lives those lessons the unconscious needs. It does this by manifesting outside events and influences that override the efforts of the conscious to avoid them. The Cosmos, or Collective Soul, which we are all part of, is made up of different planes or other realms. One of these is our realm or life as we know it, but when we die we move through into others. In the life we are currently living, it is necessary to gather the experience and wisdom that must be given back to the Collective Soul after death, so that the other realms gain and grow into higher consciousness. What we learn our accumulated wisdom is transferred into the Collective Soul (in heaven if you like) and adds to all the other wisdom; therefore, our personal pain and struggle is a contribution to this larger struggle. It is part of the growth and evolution of the Collective Soul, which is preparing for evolution into a higher sphere of consciousness. How can the ARC cards be useful? Because there is a cosmic master plan, we don t have that much autonomy in our decision making. But as long as we work with the Cosmos, we get to make some decisions for ourselves, and if we keep making the right ones we get rewarded with easier choices and less pain ahead. It helps then to know what the Cosmos has in store for us, so we can be prepared to assist the process. This is where the cards are useful, because when we ask the cards, we can understand what is going on and the deeper meaning to things affecting us. Richard and I have designed the cards in such a way as to make available all of the universal energies or possibilities, so that our unconscious has all possibilities from which to choose the most appropriate for the reading. Scientific research by Dr N. Campion, Senior Lecturer in the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales Trinity St. David, has shown that astrology s greatest gift is that it makes life more meaningful and participants feel more empowered with its use. I certainly hope this is the case with the ARC cards. How can I contact Alison and Richard, and/or interact with other ARC users? Through Facebook via the Astrology Reading Cards page. 8 9
The Planet Cards The Planet cards represent the part of your personality engaged in the question or issue, the part of you that is activated or affected. 10 11
The current energy is focused on the part of your personality that is represented by the planet Venus. In astrology, this represents not only your self-esteem and the value you place on yourself and others, but also things you desire to make you feel good. Venus represents your aspirations, standards, and ideals what you should give yourself to create the wow factor in your life and your determination to fight for what you want. There may be a big, uplifting thrill of desire and the feeling of ecstasy or exhilaration. At the heart of the matter in hand is the need to recognise and affirm your value as a person, by giving yourself the very best you can both in monetary terms and in the choices you make. You should revel in your very existence by indulging yourself with the best that you can. In a relationship, Venus helps us enjoy and delight in our choice of partner. Because we value and love ourselves, we will give ourselves a partner who does the same someone who affirms our attractiveness and desirability. The beloved then becomes a mirror who reflects our beautiful qualities back to us. If we have undervalued ourselves and allowed others to do the same, Venus, as representative of our self-esteem, will test this relationship in order to protect our long-term happiness. In this case, you should remember that sometimes love is not enough; respect and honour are required too. If you have chosen this card for yourself love is in the air, and if it is right for you, you will achieve your heart s desire. Venus usually offers rewards, success, and achievement. If you have asked the cards about someone else, it is their Venus or their desire that is being activated. 32 33
The Zodiac Sign Cards The Zodiac Sign cards represent the universal energy that colours the question or issue, the main influence around you, or the general feeling around the matter. 36 37
The Aquarian energy is technological and visionary. It speaks of the future and has ideals about how much better that future can be compared with the past. Popular mythology has long talked about the coming of the Age of Aquarius, with its Utopian vision of peace, freedom, and the united brotherhood of humankind. This energy is also known for its friendliness, camaraderie, and genuine interest in helping others. This zodiac sign bestows a rebellious need to break up existing paradigms and replace them with new thinking, so don t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to get on a soap box and address a Greenpeace rally at this time. This energy values freedom above all else, and time spent alone is never a problem. Having said that, acquaintances are important, so long as they do not make emotional demands. Information technology and science may not be your usual choices, but with this energy around you, you are encouraged to investigate how you can use them to your advantage. Numerology and astrology may also be interesting. There is a fixed quality to this energy and it can make one quite stubborn and intransigent. For although the Aquarian mantra is about change, Aquarius wants to change the rest of the world and does not want to change itself. Those who are Aquarian in nature are very good at telling everyone else how to transform, but they are completely unwilling to accept any advice themselves. You may encounter madcap or eclectic people at this time, or perhaps you decide to go through a hippie or New Age thing yourself, for whatever else can be said about the Aquarius energy, it appeals to single-minded individualists who are not afraid to be different. Now, go find your kaftan and placards... 38 39
The House Cards The House cards represent the area of your life affected by the question or issue, the sphere of your life the matter is playing out in. 62 63
The Fourth House is the area of your life that involves a parent or child and your home or roots. You could be considering moving house or just making some comfortable improvements; or perhaps domestic matters are an issue and you are focused on the family you live with. This choice could also describe an inner you, or who you are when you shut the door against the world and kick your shoes off. Here is the very personal and private you, your unconscious self or who you really are underneath all else. Only those you have lived with, both in the past and now, see this other, secret side to you. Experiences of early childhood influenced and shaped who you are deep inside today. Your ancestors and family background have also formed your roots and sense of where you come from. In this area of your life, you may find memories or deep hidden feelings that are to do with the past. Perhaps you find an old teddy bear, and it brings memories of how you used to cuddle it at night? Or maybe you go through old family photos, and it awakens reminiscences from the past. A parent may be involved or should be consulted, for this is a time when parents and your home are important. The answer to the matter you are considering could be found in your home or by considering the family or people you live with. You may find it by delving into your roots or history, or that of a parent. Lastly, changes to your home or even a house move may be available opportunities, since it is this area of your life that seems to be activated. 70 71